:Touzen Academy's morning air was sharp, carrying the silent tension of a room full of young masterminds. The third phase of the Sympathy Spiral was announced with a single sentence across their classroom tablets:
"Rank your classmates in terms of perceived trustworthiness and strategic threat."
No further clarification. No guidelines. Just a clock ticking down from sixty minutes and the knowledge that one of them would be eliminated based on the outcome.
At first glance, the task seemed straightforward. Yet in a classroom filled with prodigies, where every glance was a calculated move, nothing was ever simple. The students were given access to a voting portal—two categories, each requiring rankings from most to least.
The room was silent, except for fingers tapping and eyes subtly scanning. Whispers began. Side conversations resumed like gears clicking into place.
Sena, bold and articulate, immediately took charge of a conversation near the back row. "Logically speaking, the person who ranks highest in threat but lowest in trust would be the most likely to face elimination," she whispered to Riku, who nodded hesitantly.
"So someone like Takao, maybe? He's clearly trying too hard to read the system."
Sena shook her head. "No. He's erratic, but not dangerous. I think it's someone who's being underestimated."
Yumi, meanwhile, scribbled on her notebook beside Takao. "This is a trap. The system wants us to turn against someone obvious. I say we avoid voting for people who are too quiet."
Takao chuckled, "So, like Rei?"
Yumi smiled. "Exactly."
At his desk, Kuroyami Rei—known simply as Rei—gazed out the window. He hadn't spoken a word all morning. His tablet remained untouched, yet he was the first to submit his votes.
Rei's Inner Thought (masked):
"I hope I don't mess up again. I just picked whoever seemed confident."
It sounded innocent enough. Even in his inner thoughts, there was no grandeur, no condescension. Only doubt.
Rei asked Yumi, in a seemingly naïve tone, "Do you think Sena's too perfect sometimes?"
Yumi laughed. "She is kind of flawless."
He said to Riku, "It's amazing how Sena knew what the system might do. It's almost like she has insider info!"
Riku paused. The thought stayed.
Rei then voted: Sena as highest threat, Sena as lowest trust. He submitted and waited.
The rest of the day dissolved into speculative alliances. Riku and Yumi—once on different sides—both confronted Sena, pressing her for answers she didn't owe them.
"You're trying to rig this, aren't you?" Riku said.
Sena furrowed her brow. "Are you serious? You think I'd risk exposure now?"
Yumi jumped in, "You're deflecting. That's classic manipulator behavior."
Sena laughed in disbelief. "You're paranoid. Rei's the one sitting quietly and playing dumb."
But no one listened. Rei just looked away and blinked as if confused by the accusations.
The bell rang.
A notification appeared on all screens:
"Based on the results, one student has been marked for elimination due to perceived strategic instability."
Everyone turned to Rei—the unanimous bottom-ranker.
Except…
The screen displayed:
"Eliminated: Sena Koizumi — Violation of strategic integrity."
Gasps echoed.
Sena stood frozen. "What… what violation?"
Chairman Toma's voice played over the intercom. "This round was not judged by ranking alone. The system detects inconsistencies between how a student is perceived and how they behave. Sena's high fluctuation in ratings marks her as the greatest destabilizing threat. Her participation in this game ends here."
Rei's Monologue:
"I didn't think she'd really get expelled. Maybe I should have said something."
His fingers curled slightly beneath the desk. Only for a second.
Takao whispered, "Damn. The system's brutal."
Yumi muttered, "Reiji survives again… lucky bastard."
And just like that, the class reset. One threat gone. No one the wiser.